Bangkok: Erawan Museum Ticket & Ancient City Access

Inside a Three-Headed Elephant: Thailand's Strangest Museum

You get entry to both the Erawan Museum (famous for its three-headed elephant structure filled with Thai antiquities), and Ancient City, a 320-hectare outdoor museum of Thailand's architectural landmarks. Your ticket includes flowers and incense for offerings, and both sites are wheelchair accessible with public transport nearby. No separate arrangements needed. Just show up and walk in.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Erawan Museum2h · entry included
2. Ancient City Museum4h · entry included

Visit Erawan Museum and Ancient City

• Arrive at Erawan Museum
• Explore three-headed elephant art
• View ancient religious objects
• See Thai cultural sculptures
• Travel to Ancient City Museum
• Walk through outdoor museum grounds
• Observe replicas of Thai monuments

The experience

Most museums sit in buildings. The Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan sits inside one: a giant three-headed elephant that rises from the ground like something between a monument and a fever dream. You walk in through the legs, climb the internal stairs, and find yourself surrounded by Thai antiquities and religious objects collected over decades by Lek Viriyapant, the museum's creator. It's the kind of place where the container is as much the point as what's inside.

The ticket gets you into both the Erawan Museum and Ancient City, which is about 320 hectares of outdoor replicas and reconstructions of Thailand's most famous landmarks (temples, palaces, monuments) all arranged geographically to match the shape of the kingdom itself. Some are life-size, some are scaled down, some are creative interpretations of structures that no longer exist. You're not just walking through a museum. You're walking through a map. The Chang Erawan BTS station is right there, so getting in and out doesn't require a car or a negotiation with a taxi driver.

Your entry includes flowers, incense, and a lotus flower: the kind of thing that sounds small until you're standing in front of a shrine and realize you have what you need to make an offering. The whole site is wheelchair accessible, and there's no time limit. You move at your own pace. It's a full day if you want it to be, or a few hours if you don't. Either way, you're not juggling separate tickets or trying to figure out transport between the two places.

What’s included

• Admission ticket to the Erawan Museum.
• admission to Ancient City.
• flowers, incense, and lotus flower for offerings.
• access to all areas surrounding both museums.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

3 options

Erawan Museum ticket (for non-Thai visitors)No fixed time

Erawan Museum and Ancient CityNo fixed timeErawan Museum and Ancient City

Erawan, Ancient City and lunchNo fixed timeErawan, Ancient City and lunch: Erawan Museum, Ancient City and a buffet lunch at Ancient City

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (15 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 14 years) · Infant (under 6): free

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by BeYourGuides -Thailand

Is this one for you?Right for visitors who want to see two major Bangkok-area attractions without arranging separate transport or tickets: the BTS station connection and combined entry mean you move between them without friction.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 14 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly is inside the Erawan Museum?

The three-story interior holds Thai antiquities and religious objects from the personal collection of museum creator Lek Viriyapant. The elephant itself is the main attraction: the structure and the artifacts inside it.

How long does it take to see both the Erawan Museum and Ancient City?

There's no set duration. Most visitors spend a few hours to a full day depending on how thoroughly they explore. Ancient City alone covers 320 hectares with 116 structures.

Is there public transport to the Erawan Museum?

Yes. The Chang Erawan BTS station on the Sukhumvit Line serves the museum directly.

What's included in the ticket price?

Admission to both the Erawan Museum and Ancient City, flowers, incense, and a lotus flower for offerings. All fees and taxes are included.

Can I use a wheelchair at these sites?

Yes. All areas and surfaces at both the Erawan Museum and Ancient City are wheelchair accessible.

Is this ticket for Thai nationals or visitors?

This ticket is for non-Thai visitors only.

Do I need a guide to visit?

No. This is a self-guided ticket. You explore at your own pace.

What is Ancient City?

Ancient City is an outdoor museum in Samut Prakan with 116 structures representing Thailand's famous monuments and architectural sites. The layout mirrors the geographical shape of Thailand itself, with some life-size replicas and others scaled down or creatively reimagined.